Applicants for the William M. Plater Civic Engagement Medallion are undergraduate, graduate, and professional students who will receive their respective degrees from December 2023 through August 2024. If you are receiving your doctorate degree and have permission to walk in graduation from your academic school, you are also eligible to apply for this award.
Applicants should submit all their materials online no later than 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 15, 2024.
Applicants will be notified of their selection for this award no later than Friday, April 5, 2024.
Please take a few moments to review that you have all of the necessary materials prepared to fill out the application. Flip the switches below by clicking on them to mark the sections that you have ready or are ready to complete. Once you have all the necessary materials and have all the sections flipped to "yes," you may continue to the submission page.
Incomplete applications will not be considered. A complete application consists of the following components: confirmation of application eligibility, contact information for 2 sets of contact information for references, documentation of civic engagement experiences, personal essay, and a short personal abstract.
- Applicant information including overall GPA (if applicable).
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: A minimum GPA of 2.75 is required with a preferred GPA of 3.0 and higher. Applicant GPAs will be verified via IUPUI student records.
GRADUATE and PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS: A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required, if applicable. Applicant GPAs will be verified via IUPUI student records. If you do not have a GPA, please indicate "4.0" on your application. - Reference Contact Information for Verification of Experiences (at least 2 references). Separate letters of recommendation are not required and will not be forwarded to the committee. After your application is reviewed, your references may be contacted via the information that you supply to verify your experiences.
Contact information for one reference who is an IUPUI faculty or staff member who has advised, supervised, or observed the applicant’s community-based/civic engagement experience(s).
Contact information for one reference who is a community partner or member who has advised, supervised, or observed the applicant’s community-based/civic engagement experience(s). This can be another IUPUI faculty or staff member, but they should be directly familiar with your civic experiences. External community partner references are encouraged. - Documentation of up to three (3) personally meaningful civic/community engagement experiences (includes dates and time invested in the experience as well as a 500 word max summary).
- Personal essay (1,000 word maximum).
ESSAY PROMPT FOR UNDERGRADUATES: Applicants are asked to upload an essay no more than 1,000 words that address the following statement: "I have a responsibility and a commitment to use the knowledge and skills I have gained as an undergraduate college student to collaborate with others across difference to address social issues.” Applicants are asked to explain the ways in which they agree or disagree with this statement and provide personal examples. The definition and dimensions of a civic-minded graduate should serve to inform your essay.
ESSAY PROMPT FOR GRADUATE and PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS: Applicants are asked to upload an essay of no more than 1,000 words that addresses the following statement: "I have a responsibility and commitment in my career to use the professional knowledge and skills that I have gained through my graduate education to collaborate and to build consensus with others across differences to address social issues." Applicants are asked to explain the ways in which they agree or disagree with this statement and provide personal examples. The definition and dimensions of a civic-minded professional may serve to inform your essay. - Personal abstract that summarizes your experiences (A sample is provided in the application; 75-word maximum)